For you guys that think you can make your own tool,, I offer this info:
I bought a genuine OMC tool, brand new and took some measurements. One would think the 5/16″ diameter would go through as-is. And it will—on SOME gearcases. And that’s why I started with 5/16″. However. I quickly found out that the hole on many gearcases is smaller than 5/16″ and my tool wouldn’t go through. So, I had to issue a recall on my early production. Examination of a bunch of gearcases revealed the hole size varies all over the place.
And that is why the OMC version is turned down to 0.2775″ —so it can pass through the smallest gearcase hole size. It also is why it doesn’t work worth a hoot. If you assume the hole through the brass bushing might be 0.253″, then simple math says there is only 0.0245″ difference between the bushing I.D. and the tool O.D.–or about 0.012″ on each side. And that, my friends, is why it doesn’t work. The tool simply broaches through the bushing instead of pushing it out.
As I said, I measured a bunch of gearcases, and adjusted my tool diameter several times so it would pass through the smallest gearcase hole that I found.. What I finally wound up with was larger than OMC’s 0.2775″. but it still wasn’t reliable. So, I decided that if it wasn’t reliable, I would just discontinue it.
EDIT: Couldn’t find my drawing
